


A Different Angle

by VoidInkedPen



Series: Donatello the Thief (Fantasy AU) [3]
Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018)
Genre: Escape, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Running from bounty hunters, There's no comfort in the second half~, Thief Donatello, thieves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 22:15:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30045585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VoidInkedPen/pseuds/VoidInkedPen
Summary: Fantasy Au:“WHAT DO YA MEAN THEY’RE ONTO US!?”Donnie rubbed his eyes and peered around the corner leading to the stairway sleepily. It had been at least an hour since he went off to bed as per his dad's orders. The ruckus startled him awake and he nearly tripped over the trim of his hand-me-down shirt on his way to scope it out. He let out a quiet sniffle as the sudden conversation below intensified.---or, How donnie learns to run from bounty hunters
Relationships: Donatello & Leonard (ROTTMNT)
Series: Donatello the Thief (Fantasy AU) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2073222
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	A Different Angle

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CharmyWizard](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharmyWizard/gifts).



“WHAT DO YA MEAN THEY’RE ONTO US!?”

Donnie rubbed his eyes and peered around the corner leading to the stairway sleepily. It had been at least an hour since he went off to bed as per his dad's orders. The ruckus startled him awake and he nearly tripped over the trim of his hand-me-down shirt on his way to scope it out. He let out a quiet sniffle as the sudden conversation below intensified.

“Len, they caught on to us at the market. Some snitching dipstick saw through your terrible excuse for a disguise and told the guard. We have to MOVE! NOW!” Danny’s tail thrashed irritably as he crumpled up a piece of paper in his hand.

Leonard groaned harshly as he clutched his head and huffed before turning to the other thieves. “Alright, we gotta MOVE. Mickey, get all of our tools packed and put away in safekeeping. Danny, pack up enough food for a few days' travel. I’ll get our sleeping gear, let's get GOING!” With a clap they all were off, gathering supplies and getting ready.

“What about the kid? He’s still sleeping upstairs” Mickey asked as he tossed a few knives willy nilly into his magic bag.

“Shit, okay, Mickey get some blankets and pillows, I’ll go get Donnie.” At that, Donnie as quietly as possible scampered back to his room and started gathering what he could. He didn’t want Len to waste too much time on him when they needed other stuff.

As Donnie threw his yeti bear onto his blanket along with the few other belongings he had, he heard the door creak behind him. “Don? You’re up?” Len sounded worried as he fully entered the room.

“Y-yeah. Who could sleep with your yelling?” He sniffled as he tossed his last book onto the pile and started tying up his blanket as a make-shift bag.

“Aw, I’m sorry Dee. I didn’t mean to wake you.” Don turned to his adoptive father and gave him a small smile. “It’s okay.” the little turtle tried to lift up the bag on his own but before he could fall over, the older yokai grabbed it from his small hands. “Still doesn’t make it right. Here, I’ll put this in my bag, can you get dressed on your own?” The 8 year old nodded with another sniff and watched as Len left the room with the blanket bag.

It took him longer than he liked, but after a few minutes, he was dressed in his ‘scout’ gear. Or at least that’s what he called it. Danny had gotten him some clothes his size (finally) along with a little cloak that helped him practice stealth during training. His new brace was secure and he was ready to move just as Danny popped his head around the corner from the stairs not too far off.

“Aye, looking sharp kiddo. You ready to move?” the rat yokai smiled softly as the little terrapin nodded and jogged up to meet him. “Good, Len’s gonna have to carry you for a little bit. So no protesting, got it?” Donnie scrunched up his face and Danny chuckled. “Yeah yeah, I know baby Dee. It’s just for a little while though, promise.” He scooped up the child into his arms as he quickly turned and ran down the stairs.

The place looked ransacked in their rush to pack up what they could. Len had his own gear ready to go like he did on most missions. A big cloak that helped to hide his face and blend in with the shadows along with a multitude of weapons and other devices (some Donnie and Mickey made) hidden within. He had just been double checking his magic bag when he looked up to see Danny holding his young charge and smiled softly.

“Hey little man, there you are. Ready to run for it?” He reached out and took Don from Danny. He wasn’t a fool to think Donnie didn’t know what was going on, so he didn’t sugar coat anything.

“Yep!” Donnie grinned back and sniffled before rubbing his nose on his sleeve.

“Aw you better not rub that runny nose on me while we’re running you silly gecko” Len teased which caused the other to giggle.

“Len.” Danny interrupted with a serious face.

“Right. You two know the drill. Split up so we can lose them and meet up near Witch Town.” Mickey and Danny nodded and quickly made their exit out the door without a second word. Len adjusted Donnie onto his back and covered his face with his scarf. “Alright kiddo, ready for some advanced training?” he felt a slight nod on his back as Don clung to him. “Okay, do exactly what I say. Not a sound.” and with that, they too, fled the safe house at breakneck speed.

\---

Donnie heard the rush of leaves pass as Len used his magic to help him run faster. The larger yokai was running lower to the ground through the foliage like a beast hunting its prey. To most people outside their group, they usually were. Even if they were fleeing, the leader of their small group wouldn’t hesitate to knock someone out if they got in his way. Especially with his son on his back.

Len suddenly skidded quietly to a stop and hid behind a tree, shifting Donnie to his front as he did so and watching expectantly towards the dirt path. Though Don wasn’t as good as Len yet in terms of thievery, he also caught the subtle shift in the air and he grabbed onto the older yokai’s shirt in anticipation. They stood there, unmoving in the shadows for several minutes, and then the slight sound came. A sound fast approaching.

Donnie tightened his grip as the sound of several bounty hunters and their mounts rushed towards them. Len just shushed him quietly and watched as the beasts the other yokai rode rushed past. Len almost wanted to groan at how obnoxiously loud the bounty hunters were these days, it was like a blaring magic alarm. Finally, the last hunter past and their distant racket faded just as quickly as it came. But Len didn’t move.

He waited quietly and held the young boy closer to him. Donnie didn’t understand why he was so tense but his answer came when the almost silent stalk of another hunter suddenly came into view. Don froze, eyes wide. The two thieves waited in complete stillness as the large beast slowly made its way down the path. The rider hid their face behind a black veil and hat, looking back and forth along the sides of the road.

Suddenly it stopped. Directly in front of them but several feet away from their hiding place. Everything was silent… Until the shot of a crossbow whizzed past Len’s face and slammed into a rock nearby, crushing into it with intense weight. But Len still didn’t move. Donnie slowly looked at the arrow to make sure there wasn’t a magic bomb or something attached but saw no enchantment. After a few more seconds, the hunter finally moved away after seeing how their bluff didn’t initiate a chase.

They waited for the mount to be far out of sight before Len quickly shifted Donnie back onto his back and ran full speed away from their location, heart hammering in his chest.

“...That was a dirty trick,” Len grumbled in stressed irritation. “Dee if you’re ever hiding like that on your own watch out for those kinds of shots. Assholes with too much experience will do that to startle whoever they're chaseing out of hiding and it usually works.” He huffed as he jumped over a log. “Bet that jerk stopped every few paces to shoot in a random direction the whole way down that path.” Len stopped talking when he felt the shaking on his back and slowed down.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay little gecko.” He pulled Donnie from his back to look at the startled young yokai. “Shhhh it’s okay, I gotcha baby boy.” When the young terrapin didn’t respond he pulled him into a hug and rubbed his shell in soothing circles.

When his shaking subsided, Len kissed him on the forehead and put Donnie back on his back before continuing his run through the shadows.

“H-how can I avoid… that k-kind of hunter?” Don sniffled as he whispered his question. It was silent for a few moments before he got a response.

“You find a new angle.”

\------------------

The night winds made the trees flutter in a symphony. The loud shifting of the leaves drifted as they helped a lone shadow duck and weave beneath them. They panted hard as they picked up their pace, jumping from branch to branch with the skill of an acrobat. As they ran, a stray gust almost knocked their hood clean off their head. But they caught it in time as their cargo swung just in front of them. The hooded form jumped down from their tree perch before rolling into a slide and ducking under the bushes. They didn’t have much time.

Catching their breath they pulled out their magic bag and shoved their stolen loot inside, not so much caring where it was going. A loud shout in the distance told the thief that their brief rest was over and they took off running again. They ducked behind a few trees and quickly climbed up to the bigger branches before continuing their trek in the treetops.

A short sniffle escaped them.

“No no no, not now.” they hiccuped and rubbed their nose on their sleeve. “I can worry about my emotions later.” with a quick glance behind them they saw the form running in their general direction. “...shit.”

As the thief made their way through the trees a large gust of wind came and they couldn’t catch their hood in time as it flew back. Their purple mask fluttered as the young terrapin forced his way through the natural force and hid within the branches of a large tree. Don let himself catch a few good breaths before forcing them to calm and go practically silent, sliding into the shadows just as the person chasing them reached the clearing.

“DONNIE!?” Don watched them look around frantically and pulled his hood back over his head. “DONNIE PLEASE, PLEASE COME OUT!?” The desperation caused a few tears to leak out and flutter into the air. He covered his mouth in his scarf and clutched his chest as the man looked up at his hiding place, searching it for any sign of life. Donnie remained still.

“DONIEL!” Don could feel the hiccup come but pushed down the sob before it had a chance to alert his chaser. He listened quietly as the man began to move past him, still looking around frantically for his runaway son.

“D-Doniel…” Listening to his own father on the brink of a breakdown of utter panic didn’t help the young thief with his decision. He hated the fact that he had to flee, he hated that such a choice came so naturally to him. After years of living with his adoptive father, he still ran when his trust was broken.

Donnie watched as Len continued to run far past him into the woods, shouting his name. Through the winds ruffling the trees and the distant echo of his father’s voice, the young yokai curled in on himself and couldn’t escape the sobs that wracked his body and clutch in his chest. The floating tears were the only sign that showed his location.

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this for my friend Charmy cause they really wanted more Len and Don content without being the one to write it lol and I had this scenario in my head for ages. Enjoy!
> 
> Thanks for Reading! Comments appreciated~


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